State's Professional Fire Fighters Endorse Blumenthal for U.S. Senate

Tea Party activists paint Republicans as extremists. Many GOP voters in Connecticut expected to cross party lines this November.

Democratic Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal has 70% approval rating.

WEST HARTFORD, CT – Meeting with the press at the East Hartford Fire Department yesterday, President Peter S. Carozza, Jr. of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut announced his association´s endorsement of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for election to the United States Senate. In making the endorsement, President Carozza stated, "It is an honor to announce that following the unanimous recommendation of the Executive Board and our membership, the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut heartily endorses Richard Blumenthal for election to the United States Senate this November. This action was taken after careful consideration of the Attorney General´s history of support for the Professional Fire Fighters of the Connecticut and his vital leadership in helping to ensure the health and safety of our brothers and sisters and our fellow citizens of Connecticut."

"Richard Blumenthal has been a champion for the working men and women of this state and a true friend of Connecticut´s Professional Fire Fighters for many years. The public safety of the citizens of Connecticut will be well served by the Attorney General´s presence in the United States Senate. Fire Fighters and the people of the State of Connecticut could not ask for a better Senator to guard their interests in Washington," Carozza continued.

In accepting the endorsement, Attorney General Blumenthal said, "Our firefighters are some of the bravest individuals in our state. Day in and day out, they risk their lives to protect the people of Connecticut. It is an honor to receive their endorsement, and I´m committed to continuing fighting for them in Washington to make sure they have the resources they need and deserve to do their job safely and effectively."

Commenting further on the endorsement, President Carozza said, "Fire Fighters believe that professionalism and leadership in the field of Public Safety is indispensable to the citizens of Connecticut and to all Public Safety Personnel in the state. In these perilous times, we need the strong and consistent voice of Richard Blumenthal in Washington."

The Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut is the state association of the International Association of Fire Fighters, which represents 66 affiliated local unions in the state, comprising approximately 4500 members.

The fire fighters will be conducting grassroots organizing on behalf of Blumenthal. President Peter Carozza and Director Rapanault will also be organizing local efforts to encourage all fire fighters and their families to vote for Blumenthal.